Do you have trouble going to sleep at night and waking up when your alarm goes off? Do you struggle with daytime drowsiness and poor energy? Perhaps your sleep routine has changed, causing you to rise later, or your schedule is entirely nonexistent because you sleep and wake up at various times each day.
If you’re nodding your head, perhaps you’re also wondering, how do I fix my sleep schedule?
Get into good sleep habits, find out what's disrupting your sleep, exercise, and a warm cup of tea before bed may help reset your sleep schedule. Supplements like functional mushrooms can also help fix sleep schedule.
Explore our guide tofixing sleep schedule to get back on track and learn how to reset your circadian rhythm naturally.
10 Ways To Fix Sleep Schedule
Here are ten ways that tell you how to fix a really bad sleep schedule.This will make you function your best during the day by helping you get enough sleep each night.
1. Find Out The Sleep-Disrupter
The first on how to fix a bad sleep schedule is to find what’s causing it. Several potential obstacles to getting a good night's sleep include having a job with unpredictable shifts, managing stress, experiencing jet lag, or attending late-night events.
However, it can sometimes be complicated to identify the cause of your erratic sleeping patterns.
Investigate if you can't identify the source of your sleep problems immediately. Examine your surroundings and consider whether your recent daily behavior has changed. Before making any changes, identify the problem that needs to be fixed.
2. Get More Physical Activity
According to studies, daily exercise helps control your circadian rhythm and encourages a regular sleep schedule. However, getting too little sleep can also lead to less physical activity, which can start an unhealthy cycle.
Make sure you have lots of exercises to break out of that loop. Because morning folks move more during the day, you should sleep better at night.
Even if staying active during the day normally supports sound sleep, a workout too soon before night might help keep the brain and body on (by increasing heart rate and body temperature) and making it harder to sleep.
If you plan to work out later in the day, think about choosing low- or moderate-intensity routines that will be less stimulating. Also, make sure you finish your activity with a cool down.
In addition, you can try functional mushroom supplements pre-workout to gear up for a beautiful session. Mushrooms like Lion’s mane(1) and Cordyceps(2) are known to increase energy and endurance and are a favorite among many athletes.
3. Get The Light Right
Next on,how to fix sleep schedule is to avoid blue light. It's vital to stay away from blue light from laptops and mobile gadgets as you prepare for bed.
These visible and invisible light waves may be detrimental to our circadian rhythms. For example, melatonin, a hormone that regulates our sleep patterns, can also be suppressed by blue light.
Therefore, if your circadian cycle is awry, try putting electronics away two to three hours before bed. Instead, try reading a book, talking to your significant other, or engaging in a soothing bedtime ritual.
4. Form A Relaxing Bedtime Routine
Adopting a soothing nighttime routine can help you get back on track if you're having difficulties sleeping at a reasonable hour. Studies(3) show that relaxation techniques can help you sleep better and fall asleep more quickly.
You can try some the relaxation methods, such as taking a warm bath before bed or reading a soothing book. One way, known as progressive muscle relaxation, is tensing and relaxing each muscle until your entire body is at ease. Additionally, there is autogenic training, which involves relaxing various body regions while focusing awareness on them.
5. Time Your Naps Well
You’re probably scratching your head at this one. How is fixing my sleep schedule related to strategic napping?
In general, taking naps is a good idea. Naps can help you make up lost sleep and wake you up during the day if you take them at the proper time and for a short time. But they can work against you if you're trying to adjust your sleep routine.
If you're trying to bring your sleep schedule forward, taking naps throughout the day may make it more difficult to fall asleep at night. So, avoid napping while adjusting your sleep schedule, and then save napping for when you feel exhausted in the afternoon.
6. Careful With The Caffeine
Well, you need to read this if you’re frantically googling how to fix my sleep schedule while gulping down cups of coffee!
The half-life of caffeine(4) in your body is approximately five to six hours. This means you may stay awake and alert by consuming any caffeinated beverage up to six hours before bedtime.
So, caffeine after lunch should be avoided if you have difficulties sleeping at night. This study(5) supports the findings that coffee drinking reduces the duration and quality of sleep.
However, you should steer clear of more than just coffee. Teas, chocolates, sodas, energy drinks, energy waters, and other items are among the many products that contain caffeine. Anything that promises to give you energy is probably caffeine-containing and may disrupt your sleep.
7. Sipping Teas Before bed
Swap your coffee for herbal tea. Drinking herbal teas, like chamomile, lavender, and Reishi can be a part of a healthy pre-bedtime ritual. These contain chemicals that accelerate the sleeping process by binding to neurotransmitters in the brain.
For instance, Reishi mushroom(6), long revered in traditional medicine for its calming qualities, can help promote deep sleep, tranquility, and peace, so you wake up refreshed the following day.
8. Try Supplements
Taking supplements to fixing your sleep schedule is not a new thing. But have you heard of natural mushroom supplements for sleep?
Functional mushrooms offer a natural way to restore your circadian rhythm. When consumed before night, Reishi mushrooms powdersand capsules can help balance physical and emotional stress, resulting in improved sleep and a more robust immune system.
Reishi mushrooms have been used for centuries to treat insomnia and restlessness in Asia. Still, new research(7) has shown that they can extend total sleep time, including non-rapid eye movement sleep, also known as deeper sleep.
When taken in the morning following a restful night's sleep, other beneficial mushrooms like Cordyceps and Lion's Mane can reset your circadian cycle with a more energetic effect.
To help you stay more awake throughout the day, Lion's Mane(8) has the unique capacity to stimulate the synthesis of brain-derived neurotrophic factors and nerve growth factors. These two proteins support the growth and regular functioning of nerve cells.
9. Eat Early
Next on, how to fix a sleep schedule is avoiding eating right before bedtime. According to studies(9), eating close to bedtime has a harmful effect on how well you sleep. Those who follow a healthy sleep routine may not notice a significant difference in the quality of their sleep after a late-night snack, but those attempting to control their sleep patterns should be cautious.
When trying to reset your sleep pattern, you should aim to eat your last meal at least three hours before falling asleep because anything that disturbs your sleep is likely to interrupt your internal clock. If you can, avoid eating any substantial snacks after this time.
10. Wake Up For The Morning Light
One of the best ways to fix sleep schedule is to see the morning light. Many people use blackout curtains and shutters to prevent the early sun, insulating themselves from the sun's natural patterns.
Before the development of artificial lighting, most people woke up with the sun and went to sleep when it naturally grew dark. However, because of the artificial lighting in our evenings, we often stay up later than we should.
Consider letting the early sun in if trying to reset your sleep cycle. Sunlight can adjust your circadian clock daily, which also serves as a natural wake-up signal. As a result, your internal clock will eventually synchronize with this cue and make rising with the sun a breeze.
FAQs How To Fix Your Sleep Schedule
How Long Does It Take To Adjust To A New Sleep Schedule?
You might need between 30 and 60 days to adjust to the new sleep schedule. You won't even require an alarm to wake you up once you get used to it, though.
Can I Skip A Night Of Sleep To Fix My Sleep Schedule?
Skipping a night’s sleep may not be the best option if you want to alter your circadian rhythms. An all-nighter is probably only going to make you sleepy. Instead, you might try to adjust your sleep schedule by adhering to good sleeping habits.
Can Melatonin Fix Sleep Schedule?
You can kickstart a new sleep pattern with the use of melatonin supplements. If you observe improvement after using melatonin for a couple of weeks, you can continue taking it nightly for a couple of months.
Key Takeaways
Your circadian rhythm, or internal clock, alternates between sleep and alertness throughout the day. Unfortunately, your circadian rhythm may occasionally be disturbed for various reasons. Fortunately, try these steps to fixing sleep schedule and reset your body clock.
References
- Anti-fatigue activities of polysaccharides extracted from Hericium erinaceus, (1)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4280918/
- Beneficial Effect of Cordyceps militaris on Exercise Performance via Promoting Cellular Energy Production, (2)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33312018/
- Insomnia: Relaxation techniques and sleeping habits, (3)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279320/
- Pharmacology of Caffeine, (4)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK223808/
- The effects of coffee consumption on sleep and melatonin secretion, (5)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14592218/
- Extract of Ganoderma lucidum potentiates pentobarbital-induced sleep via a GABAergic mechanism, (6)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17383716/
- Extract of Ganoderma lucidum prolongs sleep time in rats, (7)https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22207209/
- Effect of an exo-polysaccharide from the culture broth ofHericium erinaceus on enhancement of growth and differentiation of rat adrenal nerve cells, (8)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3449638/
- Relationship between Food Intake and Sleep Pattern in Healthy Individuals, (9)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3227713/
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